Fungus to Dye For: Wrap Up

I'm closing up my atelier for the season, and looking back over my projects for the year. One of the projects was to document the steps to prepare protein fabric for dyeing (last year I did the same for cellulose fabric). For the rest of the projects I focused on dyeing with fungi.

First, I experimented with mushrooms. I procured Omphalotus olivascens (Western Jack-o'-Lantern) and Phaeolus schweinitzii (Dyer's Polypore) from a supplier on Etsy, and dyed with protein fabrics (silk and a silk/wool blend scarves) pre-mordanted with alum. I used the standard heat extraction method for extracting the dye, and experimented with alkaline and acidic dye baths. The colors ranged from lemony-beige, to seafoam green-gray, to dark orangey-gold, to light orangey-gold.

Mushrooms - left two: Omphalotus olivascens on silk (heat extraction, alkaline and acidic baths)
right three: Phaeolus schweinitzii on silk and silk/wool (heat extraction)

I foraged Bolete mushrooms from our yard to dye cotton fabric using three different mordants (alum, ferrous sulfate, and titanium oxalate). The fabrics had all been dyed before but were very pale. I couldn't tell if the overdye actually dyed the fabric a little darker, or just enhanced what was already dyed before. Either way, I have to agree that the mushroom dyes worked better on protein fibers than cellulose.

Mushrooms - Bolete edulis on cotton fabric with three different mordants
(left to right: alum, ferrous sulfate, and titanium oxalate)

Next, I experimented with lichen. Lichen is a composite of algae or cyanobacteria living among fungi species (with yeast being a possible third partner), living in a mutualistic relationship. I gathered Ramalina menziesii (lace lichen) in Mendocino, California and an assortment of unknown lichen from our yard [possibly Flavoparmelia caperata (common greenshield lichen) and Evernia prunastri (oakmoss lichen)].

I continued to dye with protein fabrics (silk and silk/wool blend scarves); used fermentation for one project and heat extraction for the second; and experimented with alkaline and acidic dye baths. The colors ranged from beige, to pale brown, to light butterscotch, to a light butterscotch/tan.

Lichen - left two: Ramalina menziesii on silk (fermentation, alkaline and acidic baths)
right two: unknown lichen mix on silk and silk/wool (heat extraction)

Note: Color names are a challenge. The colors that I see in person are often different from what the camera captures. The silk or silk/wool blend fabric looks darker when wet than when dry. Colors produced by fungi are rich and complex, and look notably different when seen in different lighting conditions, such as bright sunlight, overcast skies, dappled shade, deep shade, and inside lighting. Plus, many variables effect the color outcome for the same species, such as the age of the mushroom, environmental factors of where it was foraged, the season the mushroom was obtained, and so forth. So, when I say "lemony-beige", "seafoam green-gray", and "dark orangey-gold", I'm trying to describe what I see. You might describe in a different way!

Projects

Prepare protein fabric for dyeing, and dye with an assortment of mushrooms and lichen.

• Dye Project: Bolete with Alum

• Dye Project: Bolete with Titanium Oxalate

• Dye Project: Bolete with Ferrous Sulfate

• Dye Project: Preparing Protein Fabric (Scour & Mordant)

Note: last year I did the same for cellulose fabric.

• Dye Project: Western Jack o' Lantern

• Dye Project: Dyer's Polypore

• Dye Project: Lace Lichen (Fermentation)

• Dye Project: Multiple Lichens (Heat Extraction)

Books and Articles

Great books and articles for learning about fungi dye sources.

• "A Short Selection of the Best Mushrooms for Color" (adapted from The Rainbow Beneath my Feet, by Arleen Bessette. North American Mycological Association website: https://namyco.org/interests/education/dyes-and-papermaking/a-short-selection-of-the-best-mushrooms-for-color/

• Bessette, Arleen Rainis and Bessette, Alan E. The Rainbow Beneath My Feet: A Mushroom Dyer's Field Guide. Syracuse University Press, 2001. Provide a comprehensive reference and field guide to some of the more common and best color-producing dye mushrooms of North America.

• Casselman, Karen Diadick. Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book, Dover Publications, Inc. (Mineola, New York 2001). This slim little book is packed with information. I followed Casselman's instruction for fermenting the lace lichen dye.

• "Lichen Dyes". Mycopigments website (Feb 23, 2013): https://www.mycopigments.com/blogs/news/lichen-dyes

• Rice, Miriam C. Illustrated by Beebee, Dorothy M. Mushrooms for Color, Mad River Press, Inc. (Eureka, California, 1980). 

• Rice, Miriam C. Illustrated by Beebee, Dorothy M. Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Mico-Stix, Mushrooms for Color Press (Forestville, California, 2007; updated and reprinted multiple times). This volume provides streamlined and updated information from Mushrooms for Color, and adds information about papermaking with mushrooms and extracting pigments for paint and color sticks.

Documentaries

Several documentaries about the early days of dyeing with fungi in Northern California, and the world-wide interest that followed.

• "Mushrooms for Color and Mushrooms for Paper". The International Dye Institute (1988). This presentation includes two videos: "Dyeing with Fungi" and "Papermaking with Polypores" (both produced by David B. Marks). https://youtu.be/o1Dn7GsBsmU

• "Try it and See: The Story Behind Mushroom Dyes". Myra Made Color (2024). Produced by Martin Beebee and Myra Beebee. https://youtu.be/Y6-OTBv0gNM

Tutorials

Some useful tutorials for learning about dyeing with mushrooms and lichen.

• Byrd, Margaret. "How to Make Natural Color from Dyer's Polypore". Color Quest, Dec 2, 2022. This video shows how to achieve different colors using Phaeolus schweinitzii and various mordants. https://youtu.be/_4adB4t4DpU

• Byrd, Margaret. "How to Make Natural Dyes with Lichen". Color Quest, Dec 9, 2022. Good overview to dye extraction methods, including fermentation, water boiling extraction, and photo-oxidization (in which, color emerges when fiber is removed from the ammonia dye bath). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaYI7U7ZHEU

• Beeler, Julie. "Dyeing with Mushrooms". Bloom & Dye, Jan 31, 2019. This article describes the basic process of dyeing with mushrooms, using Phaeolus schweinitzii as an example. https://www.bloomanddye.com/journal/2019/2/1/dyeing-with-mushrooms

• Beeler, Julie. "The Mushroom Color Atlas: A Guide to Dyes and Pigments Made from Fungi". Discover the incredible spectrum of pigments and dyes that can be created from mushrooms. 

You can also use the online version of The Mushroom Color Atlas. Use the Index to filter for a specific fungus and see its batch notes and pigment studies.

• "How to Make a Natural Dye Using Lichens". Myra Made Color, Jun 4, 2022. Myra uses Wolf lichen (Letharia vulpina) to dye 100% wool with no mordant, using the water boiling dye process. BeeBee made an interesting comment that when the dye bath registers pH 4, the acid releases pigment. I'm not sure if this is a universal principal or just true for Wolf lichen, but worth exploring. https://youtu.be/RUUeAX4D1uE

• Maiwa School of Textiles "Mordants & Tannins", https://maiwa.teachable.com/p/mordants-tannins (free but you must sign up).

• Maiwa Textiles, "How to Mordant Silk or other Protein Fibres", https://naturaldyes.ca/how-to-mordant-protein (also a free, downloadable PDF file is available).

• McDonnel, Zoe. "Dyeing with Mushrooms", Wildcraft Dyeing. Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN8jIaL4rHvZlIJMBYQjk5PVWyDZ4fcg5

• McDonnell, Zoe. "How to Dye with Bolete Mushroom". Wildcraft Dyeing, Sep 30, 2023. An introduction to dyeing with Bolete mushrooms. https://youtu.be/BitA12R9n_4?list=PLN8jIaL4rHvZlIJMBYQjk5PVWyDZ4fcg5

• McDonnell. "How to Dye with Lichens and Mushrooms". Wildcraft Dyeing, Jun 24, 2021. A short introduction to the topic. https://youtu.be/-OtqvZQ-Vtw?list=PLN8jIaL4rHvZlIJMBYQjk5PVWyDZ4fcg5

• McDonnel, Zoe. "Introduction to Dyeing with Lichens", Wildcraft Dyeing, Jun 28, 2021. Describes what you need to know to get started natural dyeing with lichens. McDonnel discusses two types of dyeing (boiled water method and ammonia method). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8KfXIIUB_M

• Natural Dyeing With Mushrooms: Omphalotus olivascens (Western Jack-o'-Lantern). Myra Made Color, Dec 11, 2020. https://youtu.be/fvrM964uxNo

Resources

Favorite sources for dye supplies and information.

• Amazon.com: shop for alum, Synthrapol, soda ash, washing soda, dyes, and jars.

• Dharma Trading Company: shop for Professional Textile Detergent (a.k.a., Dharma Dyer's Detergent), dyes, silk and wool fabric and supplies, and learn how to dye.

• Etsy: shop for dye sources. Several vendors sell ethically foraged, dehydrated mushrooms for dyeing. I used The Constant Forager and was very pleased with my purchases, the service, and my results.

• Maiwa School of Textiles: shop for natural dyes and mordants, and learn how to dye.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. To see what we did last year, see Plants to Dye For: Wrap Up 2025. Stay tuned for more dye projects in the seasons to come!

Montclair Railroad Trail

Bobo the Husky and I have been hiking the Montclair Railroad Trail several times a week, as one of our morning routes. The one-mile trail follows part of the old Sacramento Northern railroad bed, and connects Montclair Village and Shepherd Canyon Road. There are several access points, but Bobo and I typically join at the top of La Salle. The path winds through oak, bay, and redwood areas, with lots of old eucalyptus stands along the way. The deep shade provides a cool place to walk during our summer heat in late September and October.

The Sacramento Northern Railway was a 183-mile electric interurban railway that connected Chico with Oakland by way of Sacramento, in Northern California. The Sacramento Northern provided an efficient, affordable rapid transit option from 1912 to 1957. The route included the 3700-foot long Redwood Peak Tunnel, which passed under the Oakland Hills between upper Montclair and Eastport station in Contra Costa (the tunnel has since been decommissioned and the entrances sealed).

Trail head at La Salle in Montclair Village in Oakland

Sacramento Northern railroad history

The trail is wide, with benches provided along the way. They are perfect for catching your breath, personal reflection, contemplating the universe, or writing and reading (we've seen all in actions)! Signage along the way provides history of the railroad, and the trail. Distance is posted at the quarter-mile points. The trail is well maintained by a neighborhood group of volunteers. Bobo is mainly interested in sniffing everything, and greeting people and dogs along the way.

Exploring the railroad trail with Bobo the Husky

Old eucalyptus grove, as well as oak and bay

I was curious about the one weathered post for Cytisus spp. (no other species are identified along the trail). Cytisus is a genus of about 50 species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs in the legume family (Fabaceae), commonly known as brooms (such as, French broom and Scottish broom). No native broom plants grow in Northern California, so they are considered an invasive species. They have probably been removed from the trail (but the trail sign remains).

Old identification sign for invasive broom

Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom growing on a dead eucalyptus stump

On our last hike along the trail, we discovered this beautiful chicken-of-the-woods mushroom specimen. Chicken-of-the-woods also like decaying oak wood. Several other specimens were also growing in the area, all in about the same stage of development. We always see something new and interesting along the Montclair Railroad trail.

Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Myco-Stix

This year we're exploring the Fungi kingdom, and learning about mushrooms in the garden, great outdoors, kitchen, and dye pot. Our next book is Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Myco-Stix™, written by Miriam C. Rice (1918-2010) and illustrated by Dorothy M. Beebee. This book was published by Mushrooms for Color Press, Forestville, CA (2007). The book is the culmination of their research and experimentation over the decades—information has been updated, streamlined, and consolidated. They have added new sections that describe how to make paper with mushrooms, and how to extract pigment from mushrooms. They also made a valiant effort to update the mushroom binomial names (species and family), which changes often to keep pace with research and new discoveries.

In the preface, Rice acknowledges all the individuals and groups who have contributed to the work over the years. The body of the book is divided into five major sections. "Part 1: About Mushrooms", provides a brief history and basic information about mushrooms and mushroom dyeing. An introduction describes the main mushroom groups, and illustrations show mushroom parts. In "Part II: Dyes", color photos identify the main dye mushrooms, organized by the color they produce (yellow, orange, red, blue, brown, and so forth). The sections about dyes and mordants, working with protein fiber, the dye process, and the chemistry of mushroom dyes provide succinct basic information for the dyer.

In "Part III: Paper", Rice adds new information about making paper with mushrooms, especially from woody polypores. The section identifies good mushrooms for papermaking, provides procedures for making paper, and includes photos of hand crafted paper objects. In "Part IV, Pigments & Myco-Stix", Rice describes how to extract pigments from mushrooms and reports on her experiments to make crayons (Myco-Stix) and paints with the pigment. The section provides examples of drawings and paintings made with the pigment. In "Part V: The Future", Rice casts vision for a future where mushrooms are cultivated for dyeing and pigments, replacing toxic products and processes that are destructive to our planet. The backmatter includes photo credits, a comprehensive bibliography, and an index.

This is a wonderful update to Mushrooms for Color, incorporating decades of experience and research, and distilling it to what works. I especially appreciated the updated and simplified section, "The Chemistry of Mushroom Dyes", by Dr. Eric Sundstrom, PhD. I don't have a strong chemistry background, but the description about why mushroom dyes react better with protein-based fabric than cellulose made sense. I was also inspired by the new section on papermaking. Long ago, before we moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, I experimented with papermaking using recycled paper and fibers from palm fronds and other plants. Life got busy so I put it aside, but I've always wanted to get back to it. Rice has inspired me to dust off the beautiful wooden deckles that my Dad made for me, and resume my papermaking experiments. Perhaps in 2027!